BOSS Eddie Howe has hinted that he could be set to move for attacking reinforcements as he puts the finishing touches to Cherries’ Championship preparations.

Howe may look to imminently enter the transfer market to bolster his squad after giving Matt Tubbs the green light to join Rotherham on a six-month loan deal.

The Cherries manager has already drafted in versatile Mohamed Coulibaly but Tubbs’s exit might lead to further additions to the Dean Court frontline.

Star striker Brett Pitman, currently sidelined by a hamstring problem, is facing a race to be fit for Saturday’s season opener against Charlton Athletic.

Howe’s squad also includes forwards Lewis Grabban, Wes Thomas and Jayden Stockley, but Josh McQuoid has been ruled out for the early part of the season with a knee injury.

Cherries failed with a bid for Burnley’s Danny Ings last month, while they were understood to have held talks with ex-Premier League hotshot Simeon Jackson prior to him joining Eintracht Braunschweig.

Howe has been linked with a host of other frontmen during pre-season, although it is his policy not to comment on transfer speculation until any potential deals are concluded.

But when asked about Cherries’ attacking options in the wake of Tubbs’s departure, Howe told the Daily Echo: “I think we are a little bit light in that department, there is no denying that. It is something we are looking at and we are certainly aware that we, perhaps, need to add some bodies to our frontline, but we will wait and see.

“They are the most difficult players to get – for obvious reasons – because everyone is chasing the same ones and the same thing, so we will wait and see what happens this week.”

Howe, who has signed experienced defenders Elliott Ward and Ian Harte this summer, could also look to add further cover for his back four. He ran the rule over Danny Butterfield against Bristol City on Saturday, the former Crystal Palace and Southampton man appearing for 54 minutes.

Meanwhile, Howe will be hoping to receive a timely fitness boost this week as sweats on the availability on some of Cherries’ leading performers.

Pitman, Matt Ritchie and Wes Fogden all missed the club’s final first-team pre-season friendly against Bristol City at Dean Court. And although Ryan Allsop, Eunan O’Kane and Marc Pugh continued to make positive strides in their respective comebacks, left-back Charlie Daniels limped off after 66 minutes against Sean O’Driscoll’s League One outfit.

Howe, who said he was hopeful Daniels would be okay, admits he remains unsure whether the other absentees will line up against Charlton.

He said: “They are improving all the time. Whether they are going to be fit and able to return for Charlton at 100 per cent, we don’t know yet.

“None of them are serious – they are all short-term injuries – it is just a case of when they will be ready and we are not sure.”